
Born: Robert Emerson Clampett Sr.
Birthday: May 8, 1913
Location: San Diego, CA, U.S.
Alma mater: Otis Art Institute
Occupation: Animator, Writer, Director
Years active: 1931-1984
Died: May 2, 1984
Robert “Bob” Clampett demonstrated artistic abilities by the age of five and began making short films in his garage when he was 12.
In his teens, Clampett showed an interest in cartooning and puppetry. Bob drew a full-page comic published in the Sunday color edition of the Los Angeles Times. The comic got King Features’ attention and they offered him a “cartoonist’s contract” for $75 a week after high school as well as paying his way through Otis Art Institute. Bob worked for King in their Los Angeles art department on Saturdays and vacations from high school.
Clampett wanted to join Disney as an animator, and while they were impressed with him, they were fully staffed at the time. Bob instead began as an animator for ten dollars a week in 1931 at the Harman-Ising studio which was producing the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series for Warner Brothers. When Warners took over the cartoons, Clampett stayed on, working under Friz Freleng.
In 1935, He created a fat little pig character named Porky who became Warner Bros.’ first cartoon star. At the same time, Bob was assigned to be Tex Avery’s animator and gag-man. Together, they would develop what later became known as the Warner style, create Daffy Duck, and contribute to the birth of Bugs Bunny. After two years, Clampett was promoted to Director and he introduced the characters of Beaky Buzzard in and Tweety.
Bob left Warner Bros. in 1946 to open his own studio where he created a live daily puppet show for television; “Time For Beany.” It went on to earn three Emmy’s for best children’s program. The show moved to an animated format in 1961 and ran for five years.
In his later years, Clampett was a lecturer about the history of animation on college campus and animation festivals tours.
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